


tête-à-tête

by zzariyo



Series: Memories Are Nothing But Painful [3]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Apologies, Gen, Making Up, idk man idk how to tag this at all yo, listen i can't help but write fuck every chance i get ok it's second nature at this point, there is nothing bad except i couldn't help but write the....cursed... f-word
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-22 13:28:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17060663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zzariyo/pseuds/zzariyo
Summary: Revali is away to meet with Link in Lurelin Village, leaving Meelo alone with Teba, his superior who he is very sure hates him with every fiber in his being.However, he is surprised to find out that is not the case.(Occurs during Chapters 10 and 11 in Eyes Half Closed.)





	tête-à-tête

**Author's Note:**

> this. is. the. shortest thing i have ever written. it feels weird writing something so short and simple...but this needed to be written. for my own sake and for the sake of the series as well, considering as this is sort of an important scene that has no business being in the ACTUAL Eyes Half Closed story at all.
> 
> So yeahhhhh. Like the Summary says, this happens during Chapters 10 and 11 in [Eyes Half Closed....](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15236424/chapters/35338458)
> 
> honestly this was kiiind of rushed? but you know what? whatever. i wrote this for **M E.**

 

 

It was the morning after Champion Revali had left for Lurelin Village to meet with Link. Just as they had told their mentor they would do, Teba and Meelo went to the Flight Range to train as they had done for the past several weeks, without him.

Meelo had absolutely  _ dreaded  _ being alone with Teba because he knew how he felt about him. It wasn’t like it was some kind of big secret.

He knew that he hated him.

He knew that he thought he was weak, hopeless, wimpy and stupid.

He knew that he thought he was a coward.

He knew that even though Revali had set him straight when it came to thinking of him as a ‘cuckoo bird’, Teba still thought of him the same way.

That he was a burden.

A parasite.

And he knew how angry Teba was that Revali had decided to take him on as a student as well, as much as he acted like he was okay with it for the Champion’s sake.

So, Meelo was scared. He had always been scared of being around Teba, but actually being alone with him and being personally taught by him was absolutely  _ terrifying. _

And while it should have put him more at ease when Teba turned out to be a terrible teacher, it only had made him more uncomfortable.

Teba was very bad at explaining things and got short with Meelo when he didn’t understand right away.

Meelo just wanted to go home and go back to sleep. He didn’t want to do this at all.

And that’s why during their break time, while Teba was making their breakfast, Meelo did nothing but stare at the bonfire in silence. He sat there, totally still with his legs crossed, eyes fixed on the fire

The air was thick with a heavy silence; the harsh wind that blew outside of the Flight Range was the only sound between them then.

“I’m sorry,” Meelo blurted out from under his breath without thinking, surprising himself. Instinctively, he curled into himself as he held his legs in close.

He didn’t know why he thoughtlessly blurted that out. Perhaps he did it just to break the awfully painful silence, because honestly, nothing could have been worse than sitting in it any longer...even if it meant he had to talk to the scariest Rito in Tabantha.

From the other side of the fire, Teba was about to scoop up more stew to put in his bowl, but when Meelo spoke he stopped, ladle in hand. His electric yellow eyes rose to meet Meelo’s, and they looked surprised; maybe even a bit concerned.

With eyebrows knitting together, Teba asked in a voice that was uncharacteristically soft, “What are you sorry for?”

Meelo’s eyes fell onto his lap and he gulped and breathed before he said, “I don’t know. I’m sorry for being a...a burden?”

The older Rito’s surprised look faded into a sad, sympathetic one as he set the bowl down beside him without looking away from his subordinate. He studied Meelo with his eyes thoughtfully for a few moments before he uttered, “Meelo…” 

The yellow Rito said nothing and only held himself closer and avoided Teba’s gaze.

“Why would you ever think that?” Teba asked when Meelo didn’t answer, leaning forward towards him.

After another moment of silence, Meelo’s eyes rose but went off to the side. The corners of his beak wobbled as he opened it to speak. “Wh-Where do I even start?” he began with a wavering voice. “I’m just bad at everything and I...I waste everyone’s time. And you were so excited to be Revali’s one and only disciple and I took that from you...and now you have to waste your time and train me while Revali is away.”

Teba was still and quiet.

“And, you know, being a c-cuckoo bird and all,” Meelo started again very quietly after nervously clicking his beak. “Being a burden is the only thing I can really ever do right. All I do is stumble around and mess things up. And I-”

“Meelo, stop,” Teba said in a low voice, interrupting him and making him go quiet.

The young Rito’s heart began to beat hard. His crest flattened against his head and his feathers ruffled.

Oh, Gods, was Teba going to yell at him?!

Was this going to be his end?!

Teba closed his eyes and grunted, his face folding in as if he was having a hard time saying whatever it was that was rolling around in his head. He continued to make an unearthly, gravelly grumbling sound until he finally spat out, “I should be sorry!”

Meelo blinked, and he relaxed slightly. His crest bobbed up in a wary curiosity. He did nothing but stare at his superior with huge eyes, and it clearly made Teba uncomfortable judging from the way he shuffled around for a bit before continuing his thought.

“Some of the things you said are true.” His yellow eyes flicked off to the side. “You are bad at pretty much everything and yeah, I was definitely mad that I wasn’t going to be Revali’s only student.” He let out a huge sigh before he looked back over at Meelo from across the fire. “But you don’t ‘stumble around and mess things up’. There are some things you’re good at.”

Meelo gulped but said nothing.

“Sure, you can’t shoot a bow well and you’re weak. But you’re an amazing battle strategist and it’s like you can see things before they happen. There have been times where I was glad you were there on the battlefield because otherwise someone could have gotten really hurt.”

Meelo’s heart started picking up again.

“Do you remember a couple of months ago when I dragged you along to go fight that small pack of lynels with us? I didn’t do that to be mean. I did that because we needed you, because, you…” Teba made a circular motion with his hands, trying to think of the proper way to say what he wanted to. “You immediately understand the lay of the land and how it could be used to our advantage in a fight, even if you’ve never been there before. I can’t even do that very well.” Teba ran his fingers through his thick crown and sighed. “I never gave you the credit you deserved. I labeled you as a ‘cuckoo bird’ and went on with my day. And that…” He frowned and looked down at his lap. “And that was wrong of me. I was  _ wrong.  _ And I’m so sorry.”

Did...Did Teba just apologize to him?

Meelo couldn’t believe it.

_ Teba  _ just said he was sorry.

He couldn’t help but start crying, and he knew there was no use fighting it. So in no time at all, thick tears blurred his vision and fell down his cheeks. 

Teba kept his eyes on his lap until Meelo let out a hiccup, and then he threw his head up to see that the young Rito across from him was crying. He cringed and sputtered, “Hey, hey! Don’t cry, Meelo! Did...Did I say something wrong?”

Even through his tears, Meelo could see Teba awkwardly shifting around and hesitantly reaching his arms out to him, unsure of what to do. 

He wiped away his tears that insisted on flowing down his face and with a soft smile, said, “No...No. I’m...I’m just really happy.”

Sheepishly, Teba went over to sit next to Meelo and pat his back. He patted way too hard to the point where it kind of stung, but he clearly was trying to be comforting so Meelo didn’t mind at all. “Uh...There, there…”

Meelo wiped his eyes again, harder this time, and sniffled to try and clean himself up.

“Y’know, I am kind of glad that Revali wanted to teach you, too,” Teba said, looking away and scratching at the side of his face. “It’s been nice getting to know you. You’re not so bad and…I think....” He stopped midsentence to let out a grunt before grumbling from the side of his beak, “...I think I’m actually starting to enjoy your company.”

Oh, goddess. The tears were coming back full force.

Meelo looked up at the older avian beside him, water gushing out from his eyes as he whimpered, “R-Really…?”

When Teba peered down at him to see that he was crying again, he jerked. “W-Well,  _ yes,  _ but you don’t have to cry about it!”

“Sorry! I’m sorry!”

“Don’t apologize! Just...Just stop crying!”

“I...I can’t...I can’t stop crying when I’m really happy…”

“Well, you must be a real fuckin’ happy camper 24/7, considering you’re crying literally  _ all the time-”  _ Teba snapped, but was cut short when Meelo wrapped his wings around him for a hug. The older Rito went completely stiff and didn’t move a muscle. 

“Thank you, Teba,” the yellow and gray Rito sniffed through his tiny hiccups. “It really...it really means a lot to me.”

Teba lifted a hand to bring to Meelo’s back and pat it, his beak in a perfect, straight line. “Yeah. No problem.”

They stayed there for a few moments before Teba got antsy and shuffled around, trying to get out of the hug.

“Alright, let’s eat and continue our training before it gets too late,” he croaked as he kept trying to break out from Meelo’s grasp. Despite Teba’s efforts, the young warrior persisted. “Okay. Okay, you can let go of me now. Meelo,  _ please.”  _

With that, Meelo opened his wings and released the older Rito. He opened his mouth and started to apologize, but quickly snapped it shut, knowing that if he said he was sorry, he would only get scolded. 

_ “Thank you.”  _ Teba leaned forward to grab a bowl and the ladle that he left in the pot on the bonfire earlier. “How much do you want?” He asked, not looking at Meelo beside him.

“Um, not that much,” Meelo answered.

Teba either had a very different idea of what ‘not that much’ meant or he wasn’t listening, because he dumped a bunch of stew into the bowl and handed it to the other avian, who mumbled a little “Thank you.”

Yet again, Teba grunted to reply before giving himself a huge helping.

 

They ate in silence, but it wasn’t heavy like it had been before. It was light, and Meelo felt  _ safer  _ and much  _ happier  _ in Teba’s company than he had been before. Even if they weren’t saying anything to each other or even directly acknowledging one another’s presence, he enjoyed it and found himself smiling.

Once they were done, Teba stacked their used bowls next to the bonfire, stood up, and looked at Meelo. His expression was no longer hard and almost looked like he was a smidge away from smiling at his subordinate. “We have a bit of time left. Let’s work on your stance again.”

Meelo smiled up at him and nodded. “Okay,” he meekly said before getting up.

And he...he felt good and even  _ safe _ for the first time in a very long time.

Things were starting to get better.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> meelo is. baby.


End file.
